My Theory of Learning..(p.2)

Alas, this class is nearing the end of the semester and the shop is about to close up.  In this post, I revisit my learning theory and reflect on how my ideas and answers to the following questions may have shifted/stayed the same.

1. What do you currently understand learning to be--for yourself as a learner and for your students if you teach?

My take on learning has shifted somewhat through the experience of participating in my first online course of grad school.  But I also have the feeling that what I understand learning to be actually shifts a little every time a take a course.  You see, I realize more and more that learning is embodied in so many aspects of my experiences (in particular, as outlined by Boetther, three types of online learning interactions :  instructor-learner, learner-learner, and learner-content/resources) and how I take from that and carry it onto the next learning experience is what's key.  I lean towards the constructivist approach to  learning and designing for learning online (the theories of Piaget and Dewey have enlightened me and strengthened my view on how previous experience and knowledge are important to learning), and where learners are encouraged to take on an active role in their learning, vs a passive one.  

2. Why (on what basis) do you hold those views, both for yourself and for your students? (If you are not a teacher think of a situation where you have taught somebody something.)

I believe my views are shaped by my grad experience and each person I meet, each class I take, it builds as I go along.  Quite similarly to how learning theories that we have looked at in our class build upon one another (ie.  L Vigotsky and J. Bruner building on Piaget and Dewey).  The social aspect is an important one when it comes to designing for online learning experiences.  In my scope, however, adult education is the focus, and I often wondered how much of these theories apply to this audience specifically and the workplace learning context in which I worked, though I did find foundations applicable to online adult education. 

3. What role does knowledge play in learning?

I hold firm to my prior belief that the role of knowledge is essential to learning.  As I mentioned, the skills and experience that people bring to the learning process impact distributed cognition through to distributed intelligence (Pea) and as Lave and Wenger (1991) allude, situated learning pertaining to a particular context and environment influence that knowledge brought to the learning process as well.

Boettcher explains in Core Learning Principle #5: Learners Bring Their Own Personalized Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes...to the Learning Experience.  This influences my theory of learning greatly as adult learners bring a wealth of these elements to the table, and instructors and designers need to take this into account when designing education.

4. What role do others play in your learning (e.g. peers, teachers etc)?

Interactions between others such as instructors, peers, family, co-workers, etc are all important to learning.  I feel most aligned to more introverted learners, and find that online participation allows for the playing field to be leveled.  An Introverted learner need not compete to answer the fasted, loudest or most detailed.  Online learning enables deeper reflection for some as instant responses are not expected.

My learning theory now leans towards the role of others contributing to knowledge sharing, building and co-constructing.  This may take the form of contributing in a learning community, community of practice or community of inquiry.  I think its important that every learner find the comfort level necessary to truly learn and share in an online learning environment, without the barriers of language, technology access, and digital literacy, etc.

Social media and informal learning are still important aspects of my learning theory as it more a part of the everyday than ever before.  In this manner, its hard to tell where learning starts and stops and offers continuous learning to occur and contribute to lifelong learning goals.

References:

Boettcher, J. 2007. Ten Core Principles for Designing Effective Learning Environments: Insights from Brain Research and Pedagogical Theory. Innovate 3 (3).


Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1990). Chapter 1 in Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. LPP.pdf


Pea, R.D. (1993). Practices of distributed intelligence and designs for education. In G. Salomon (Ed.), Distributed cognitions. Psychological and educational considerations (pp. 47-87). NY: Cambridge University Press. peaDistrib.pdf


Vygotsky, L. (1934) 2. Piaget’s Theory Child Language and Thought.  http://www.marxists.org/archive/vygotsky/works/words/ch02.htm

Where's the Future of Learning Online Going

This week as we close up shop for our class online this semester, our discussions which centre around principles of online learning design, took a turn in the direction of future online learning participation.  I had the opportunity to reflect back on my own participation in our Pepper online learning environment, and what could have enhanced my experience.

The biggest difference for me could have been timing of my participation.  This relates to:

 Core Learning Principle #10: Everything Else Being Equal, More Time-on-Task Equals More Learning (Boethcher, p6)

As we juggle more things (ie. work, school, family,volunteer work, etc.), the more we realize how dependent we are becoming on our mobile technologies.  Shhhhhhh....there are some people out there that set limits on the use of their technology, however, I'm not necessarily one of those people.  Sure I turn the volume off in places like the library, movies, theatre, etc. but I do very much keep things running in the background so that I can keep up any time I choose to.  In terms of this course and the pepper platform, first, I think I'm actually going to miss interacting with my peers on a regular basis online.  I set up notifications in this learning environment so every time someone responds to one of my responses, I get an email--and for me this means usually first reading the notification on my blackberry.

There were times, where I would log in from my Blackberry to read a response, try to respond, but didn't get anywhere with Pepper and the Blackberry platform sadly.  For example, at the start of March break, a friend of mine and her son were visiting from out-of-province. We decided to take a drive up to Banff and Lake Louise.  Along the way, I saw an email notification about a reply to one of my posts, quickly read it and proceeded to try to respond...but alas, no-can-do, and I was stuck waiting until we returned home.
so a couple things about this situation,

• Responses are not as timely as they could be, the conversation changes direction quickly
• Responses once inspired by the moment, could be lost by the participants by the time they get home to access
• Responses, could have been richer (mobile photo, voice clip, video, (etc).  

Of course, not every response needs to be completed with the use of mobile technology,  I'm suggesting just the quick replies with personal context.  Longer replies that involve literacy research and larger attachments should definitely wait until full access.  (Or at least access on a tablet with full keyboard).

I think a blended technology supported platform would be ideal electronic learning.  Learning where it's just-in-time, and customizable to the student needs and learning abilities.

The creation of knowledge:  I certainly found that knowledge-sharing and creation was a large part of our discussions, assignment-planning, journeling, theory-expeansion, etc.  As Lulee mentioneds:

   They argued that interaction was the process through which the participants negotiated their meaning and co-created the knowledge.  (Garrisson, Anderson, & Archer, 2000)

There was lots of negotiation of meaning, which made the interactions meaningful, in my humble opinion.  We also worked together to come-up with joint solutions and new ideas for creating a better online environment, one that would help address issues of social, economic and digital divide, cultural and cognitive abilities, etc. To get there, we have to be prepared for change.

Change is inevitable, and as we look at how we design and use online environments, there has to be flexibility in thinking and engaging as instructors, learners and designers.  Quinnton advises:

In order to manage such unprecedented change,  educational institutions should first identify the impact on teaching and learning that will result from the expanding presence of an information dominated world and then enter into a transitional stage of actively re-examining the design and purpose of their education delivery systems.  (p. 332)

By "actively re-examining of information and purpose", we are constantly reading ourselves for change in the learning landscape.  Let's call it agile constructivism and design for online learning environments.  Exciting times ahead...

I'm grateful to my professor and my fellow learners in CTL 1608H for my learning experience and look forward to returning to the ideas we discussed.

Shall we:
Create
Rip
Mix
Burn

References:
Boettcher, J. 2007. Ten Core Principles for Designing Effective Learning Environments: Insights from Brain Research and Pedagogical Theory. Innovate 3 (3).


Lulee, S. T. (2011). Basic Principles of Interaction for Learning in Web-Based Environment, Educause Blogs, URL: http://www.educause.edu/blog/susanlulee/BasicPrinciplesofInteractionfo/227198


Quinton, S.R. (2010). Principles of Effective Learning Environment Design. In Ebner, M. & Schiefner, M. (Eds.) Looking Toward the Future of Technology-Enhanced Education: Ubiquitous Learning and the Digital Native, 327-352.

Digital Divide in Online Learning

On another note, an interesting element of our discussion tuned into the notion of 'digital divide.'  The have and have-nots when it comes to access to technology, knowledge of computing technologies, or the world wide web.  Is the divide shrinking?  How does this divide impact online learning and design for online learning environments?

From my own experience working at a home and community health care organization, we find that there definitely was a digital divide among employees when it came to accessing online learning.  As the organization is spread across geographies nationally both in rural, urban and suburban areas, so was the scope of access to and knowledge of technology (and technology for learning purposes) and how to use it.

As online learning instructors and designers of such environments, I think we not only have to be aware of the audience and who has access to technology, both physical hardware and access to the web (including know speed of access), but also understand how sophisticated the audience of learners are in terms of knowing how to learn in an online environment. The following questions come to mind:

• Do they know how to interact with others in a forum, what's acceptable interaction, what's not?  
• Do they know about their rights as an online learner when it comes to posting personal information or accessing others information?
• Do they understand the learning objectives and outcomes of participating in online education?
• Do they understand online eithics and etiquette of referencing and copyright?
• What are their expectations of participating in an online learning environment?

When it comes to the digital divide and online learning, have designers and instructors planned for these gaps and how to address them.  Its something, we need to ensure we are considering in order there to be successful learning interactions between learners, learners and the instructor and learners and the learning environment (including instructional material).

Returning to the organizational example, we had to take into account computer literacy when designing online learning programs and courses.  We took a two-pronged approach: We had to ensure that those with the lowest levels were given the tools and aid to access technology and understand how to physically use it, before online learning participation.  And, we had to keep more advanced learners engaged--how, by providing optional ways of learning like participating in forums, advanced learning activities and encouraging participation in mentoring others on the online learning experience.

Challenges, still persist, but by helping one-another learn, we are slowing closing the divide.  Also by understanding how learners use technology or what technology they are more comfortable using and building for that learning environment.  (ie. are they more comfortable with using a smartphone over a computer?  Or is their preference for a tablet? Perhaps a hybrid or blended learning approach where a teleconference or live interaction is coupled with online learning?)

References:

Online learning and the digital divide in the workplace:  http://www.fastcompany.com/articles/archive/mbrown.html

E-learning & the digital divide in higher education:  http://is2.lse.ac.uk/asp/aspecis/20050141.pdf

Ethical issues in e-learning:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N134hn-KfDo